Electric battery



(No Model) 0. B. SGHOENMEHL. ELECTRIC BATTERY.

Patented Jan. 19, 1892.

WITNESSEtiZ IN\/-:N UP

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. SCIIOENMEI-IL, OF IVATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC BATTERY.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,240, datedJanuary 19, 1892.

Application filed April 25, 1891. Serial No. 390,398- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. ScHoEN- MEHL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at WVaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Batteries; and I do hereby declare the followin g to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements inelectric batteries, but more particularly does it appertain to suchbatteries as are provided with a carbon element consisting of aplurality of sticks or pencils of carbon; and it is the object of myinvention to furnish means which shall be simple and efficient forattaching and securing the carbons to the battery-top and at the sametime establishing electrical connection between them; and with theseends in view my invention consists in the construction and combinationof elements hereinafter set forth, and then recited in the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertainsmay fully understand its construction and method of operation, I willdescribe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings and the numerals marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Figure 1 is a vertical section showing several carbon pencils or rodssecured in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a plan View showing amodified method of attachment;

Fig. 3, an elevation of the pencil shown at Fig.

1; Fig. 4, a similar View of the pencil shown at Fig. 2; Fig. 5, asect-ion of the cap of the pencil shown at Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a similarsection showing a modification of the cap; Fig. 7, a side elevation andplan view of another.

1 denotes a battery-top, to which the elements are adapted to beattached. It is preferably of porcelain or glass, though I do notrestrict myself in the matter of material. The zinc element may beattached in any manner found convenient; but as this forms no part of mypresent invention I have not shown it in the drawings.

2 are sticks or rods of carbon of suitable length and size. These are tobe inserted and held in holes 3 in the battery-top. It is, however,difiicult to insert these sticks so that their attachment to the topshall be firm, since their ends vary somewhat in size and the carbon ishard and brittle. Furthermore, when it is attempted to hold them byinsertion in holes in the top the problem of establishing electricalconnection between them is presented. I therefore cap each carbon stickor rod with a drawn shell of thin sheet metal, which in its simplestform is designated by the numeral 4 at Figs. 1, 3, and 5. This shellmaybe fitted to the carbon by driving the latter into it or by crimpingthe lower edge of the shell inward against the surface of the carbon.\Vhen thus capped, the end of the carbon is so protected that it may beforced or driven into one of the close-fitting holes 3'without danger ofchipping or crumbling the carbon. This is shown as effected at Fig. 1,and the electrical con nection is established by means of a wire 5,soldered to the tops of the several carbons and connecting them with abinding-post 6 on the battery-top.

In Fig. at I show a cap or shell differing from the one heretoforedescribed in that it is prothe carbons firmly in position and to connectthem electrically. This means consists of a flat sheet-metal key 8 ofsuch size and thickness as to slide between the carbons and engage withthe grooves 7 in the metal caps. It is obvious that in this constructioncarbons maybe removed and new ones substituted by backing the key out ofengagement with the grooves.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a form of shell which is somewhat larger indiameter than the carbon rod and is not only provided with the groove 7,but with inwardly-turned points 10. In this construction the cap holdsagainst the carbon by the inner surface of the metal, where the groove 7is made, and the inner ends of the points 10. The object of thisconstruction, in which the cap should be of very thin metal,is to giveto said cap a slight compressibility, so that it may le forced into ahole and there held by its expansive action as well as by the grasp ofthe key, if the latter be used. In Fig. 7 I have shown another method ofeffecting this by drawing the shell with corrugations 11 upon its outersurface.

I claim- 1. In a battery, the combination, with the top provided withholes and constructed of non-conducting material, of the carbon rods, adrawn sheet-metal cap or shell fitted and secured upon the top of eachrod, and a con- .nectionabovethebattery-topwhereby therods are securedtogether mechanically and electrical connection established betweenthem.

2. The combination, with the carbon pencil or rod, of a sheet-metal capclosely fitted upon

